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“Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,
and to God the things that are God’s.”
Matt 22:21
(from the Gospel for the twenty ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A)
Dear parents and carers
Welcome to Term 4! I hope you and your family were able to have some quality time together over the past couple of weeks. It has been lovely to see all the children return to school looking refreshed and ready to learn!
As I advised you earlier this week, there have been some further changes to the COVID-19 restrictions for NSW schools. We are now able to proceed with some events that were unavailable to us earlier in the year. We are delighted to be able to organise these events in the interests of the children’s ongoing physical and mental wellbeing. We want the kids to have some resemblance of normality and joy at school.
During Term 4, we will have a modified book parade on Friday 6 November. We will also be able to conduct a modified athletics carnival on Thursday 13 November. We will also be able to offer a modified Kindergarten transition to school program later in the term. Our planned Year 5 and Year 6 camps at Tallong are now able to proceed in weeks 8 and 9. We will be able to have an end of year Mass and Year 6 farewell. This is all great news. Restrictions however still apply at this stage to parent attendance at these events. We will of course film these events and share them with you. As with everything this year, these restrictions are subject to change. We will of course let you know should this occur.
EATING PROCEDURES FOR FIRST and SECOND BREAK
We have made a change to the children’s eating arrangements. For First Break at 11am , we will now eat inside each day. The children have been learning about this change to routine this week. The change will be fully implemented next week. We want to be able to supervise the children’s eating more closely and give the children more playing time. Class teachers will supervise eating, including cleaning up and hand washing in the classrooms. Teachers will ensure that children have sufficient time to eat. The children will need to only take their water bottles outside and will be ready to play at 11am.
At Second Break at 1:30pm, we ask that simple snacks or fruit be sent to school. Ideally, children should be able to carry their snack in their hands along with a drink bottle, leaving their lunch boxes inside. Teachers will manage this especially with the younger classes. The children will be seated outside for a few minutes to eat their snack before washing hands and going off to play.
We want the children to eat their food. The children have beautiful lunches and families obviously go to considerable effort to provide healthy food. We also want the children to have a good break and play. Given our climate (hot in summer and cold in winter), eating inside means that the children will enjoy their food in comfort.
BOOK PARADE “Curious Creatures, Wild Minds”- Friday 6 November
We will conduct a modified book parade on Friday 6 November. This year’s theme is “Curious Creatures, Wild Minds”. We’re delighted to be able to offer this event. The children certainly love to dress up and thoroughly enjoyed the book parade last year.
Regrettably, parents, family and community members will not be able to attend. If this changes we will notify you. We will conduct the “parade” on a class by class basis in order to comply with social distancing requirements.
We will film and photograph the children and share this with you via facebook. It should be a wonderful day for the children.
ATHLETICS CARNIVAL Thursday 12 November
We will be conducting some of the athletics carnival events on Thursday 12 November. This will be a modified event. We need to continue to observe the “no mixing” social distancing precautions. This means that we will not have children of similar ages from different classes competing in the same heats. All events will be conducted on a class basis. We will keep times and relevant records to be able to determine age champions.
We have begun field event trials this week. Children will have the opportunity to both learn skills and compete in heats for the field events over the next four weeks ahead of the carnival day. Finals for the field events will be held on the carnival day.
Observing COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing is critical in being able to offer this event for the children. At this stage, parents will not be able to spectate or attend. If this changes we will certainly let you know.
We will film events and make a carnival movie to celebrate the children’s achievements. This will be shared on our school facebook page.
After the carnival we will be able to award age champions and the winning colour house. This too will be filmed and shared.
STAFF PLANNING DAY- pupil free day FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER
We will be conducting a staff planning day on Friday 13 November. This will be a pupil free day and no classes will be conducted. We need to review the year, name our achievements and challenges. We need to plan for 2021 especially given the contingency that COVID-19 restrictions will likely remain in place.
NEW ST PAUL’S WEBSITE IS NOW LIVE!
Our school website has been updated with new images and content. Please take a moment to review the revised site. This newsletter will continue to be published on the website as well as via COMPASS. We think the website looks great. You can check it out here.
WE NEED WOOL!
We are making pom poms for display in Leighton Gardens as part of the community Christmas celebrations. If you have any knitting wool (or acrylic) at home that you could spare, we would be grateful if you could send it to school. The children have been enjoying making the pom poms as part of structured play.
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING
This has been a tricky year! The media have been reporting the impact of the pandemic on our collective mental health and the news is worrying. Looking after our mental health and wellbeing is as important as looking after our physical health and wellbeing.
I would like to draw your attention to the Wellbeing page on the Parent Portal we created during remote learning in Term 2. There are lots of free resources on the portal that you may find helpful. Take a moment for yourself and have a browse. Something might just grab your attention! A link to the Wellbeing page is here
Check the CEDoW COVID-19 website for updates
Stay up to date with the latest information regarding COVID-19 and its implications for our school by visiting Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) COVID-19 Information centre available here. This site has been created and regularly updated with COVID-19 specific advice for all our school dicosean communities.
Thank you everyone for your ongoing understanding, patience and support as we move through time this together. As difficult and often inconvenient as it is, this is how we do our bit in keeping everyone safe and continuing to manage the pandemic.
SUMMER UNIFORMS IN TERM 4
All children will wear the summer uniform from the beginning of Term 4. Our uniform suppliers are Whytes Tailoring and Clothing in Argyle Street Moss Vale (02 4868 1911 or visit https://www.whytesclothing.com.au/)and NSW Uniforms (0400 805 596 or email ethne@drewdesigns.com.au). Both suppliers have our summer uniforms in stock.
Sport Uniform Days by Class
Your child will need to wear the sport uniform on the following days each week.
Kindergarten- Friday
Year 1- Wednesday & Friday
Year 2- Thursday & Friday
Year 3- Thursday & Friday
Year 4- Wednesday & Friday
Year 5- Wednesday & Friday
Year 6-Wednesday & Friday
LOLS: Lessons and Liturgy and Scripture
Unfortunately, due the current covid restrictions in place, we are unable to invite special guests in for Grandfriend’s Day this term. Alternatively, a LOLS video dedicated to Grandparents will be released in Week 4. If you have a photo of your child/ren with their Grandparent/s and would like to include it in this LOLS video, please email the photo to duboisc01@dow.catholic.edu.au
Confirmation Program
St Paul’s Parish, Moss Vale will proceed with the sacrament of Confirmation this term. The enrolment period is from Monday 12th October until Friday 23rd October. Once numbers are finalised, a decision will be made in regards to when the sacrament will be celebrated and how many ceremonies will be celebrated to cater for the candidates and their families.
Thank you
Catherine du Bois
Religious Education Coordinator
PB4L AFFIRMATIONS
A foundational principle of our school’s Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) approach, is to teach the children our expectations and then affirm children for making positive, prosocial choices. We have a school wide reward system that the children absolutely love. Children are given an affirmation when their teacher “catches them being good”. The affirmation, which is both a verbal affirmation and a sticker or stamp, is recorded on a colour chart which each child in the school has been given. When children have reached halfway on their sticker chart and again when it is filled, the children come to receive the next coloured card and a certificate from Mr O’Brien. This milestone is then recorded and entered into COMPASS. Parents will receive a notification that their child has achieved their Green award (forty affirmations), Blue award (eighty affirmations) or Gold award (one hundred and twenty affirmations). Once a child has reached gold level, they go back to green second level. You will see a number 2 sticker on the front of the sticker chart. The system continues with a larger certificate being issued at each milestone.
This is an opportunity to celebrate with your child that they have been doing their best with their learning and being a great member of the St Paul’s community. Please let the children know that you have got the message. Children are very proud of their achievements and particularly love receiving a “yahoo” from Mr O’Brien. Each morning, as part of the zoom assembly, the children who have moved onto the next card are announced. They then receive a whole school clap or “yahoo.” This is a wonderful achievement for all our students.
When your child reaches each milestone, your child will come home from school with the filled affirmation card as well as a certificate. We will send you a COMPASS notification of this milestone achievement. Please celebrate your child’s achievement at home just as we have celebrated your child at school.
| KINDERGARTEN | Violet Richardson |
| YEAR 1 | Eadie Babula |
| YEAR 2 | Anthony Wexler |
| YEAR 3 | Taliah Sidorenko |
| YEAR 4 | Minna Bowen |
| YEAR 5 | Charlie Dowler |
| YEAR 6 | Lilly Collins |
| Kindergarten | Hugo Goodison | Quinn Furness | Year 1 | Olivia Edwards | Maddie Hely |
| Year 2 | Aiden Edwards | Sakari Curcuruto | Year 3 | Felix Ross | Cooper Salmond |
| Year 4 | Raphy Eccleston | Harrison Strode | Year 5 | Gracie Ross | Margot Hewitson |
| Year 6 | Riley Doherty | Jack Dowler |
| YEAR | STUDENT NAME | REASON |
| KINDERGARTEN | Katie Cumming | For being kind to God's creatures. |
| YEAR 1 | Anthony Vella | For always saying please and thank you. |
| YEAR 2 | The Whole Class | For welcoming our new student Aiden and including him in all classroom and playground activities. |
| YEAR 3 | Jordy Norman | Cheering up his friends when they are sad. |
| YEAR 4 | Tahlia Hallam | For playing nicely and encouraging others. |
| YEAR 5 | Callum Edmends | For thinking of his fellow classmates. |
| YEAR 6 | Isaac Hucker | Having a positive attitude to everything and caring for all. |